# disinterested
## English
### Etymology

Corruption of the adjective disinterest/disinteressed. The sense of lacking interest is likely from dis- +‎ interested.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /dɪˈsɪnt(ə)ɹɛstɪd/
* Audio (UK):(file)

### Adjective

disinterested (comparative more disinterested, superlative most disinterested)
* Having no stake or interest in the outcome, and no conflicts of interest; free of bias, impartial. [from 17th c.]
    Synonyms: detached, imprejudicate, unbiased; see also Thesaurus:impartial
    Antonyms: biased, interested, partisan, prejudiced
** 1791, James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson:Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself. I am supporting the principle, and am disinterested in doing it, as I have no such right.
** 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 1”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:With his disinterested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; [...]
** 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 220:People are better off abjuring violence, if everyone else agrees to do so, and vesting authority in a disinterested third party.
** 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)‎, London, page R10:[P]hilosophers of the time [early 20th century] were primarily concerned with epistemology and the foundations of the sciences; they often spoke as if we were separated from the real world by a screen of "representations" or "sense-data"; they tended to regard our approach to the world as one of disinterested observation.
* (proscribed) Uninterested, lacking interest. [from 17th c.]
    Synonyms: incurious, unaroused, unconcerned; see also Thesaurus:apathetic
    Antonyms: curious, fascinated, interested
** 1684, Contempl. State of Man I. x:How dis-interested are they in all Worldly matters, since they fling their Wealth and Riches into the Sea.
** 1936, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, Faber & Faber, published 2007, page 43:Robin took to wandering again, to intermittent travel from which she came back hours, days later, disinterested.
** 1967, Tommy Frazer, The Sun (Baltimore), "A 'Doctor' Of Karate", March 27
    Those spotted are usually taught so slowly that they grow disinterested and quit.

#### Usage notes

* The correctness of the use of this word with the meaning uninterested is disputed. Some reference works consider it acceptable, while others do not. The OED specifies that this is "Often regarded as a loose use." According to Macmillan Dictionary, "Many people think that this use of the word is not correct".

#### Derived terms

* disinterestedly
* disinterestedness
* nondisinterested
* undisinterested

#### Translations
### References

* ↑ A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd Edition by H.W. Fowler, revised by Ernest Gowers (1965; Oxford at the Clarendon Press; London).
* ↑ An ABC of English Usage, H.A. Treble and G.H Vallins (1968; Oxford at the Clarendon Press; London.
* ↑ “disinterested”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
* ↑ http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/disinterested